Philippine Navy ship BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) successfully wrapped up its four-day port visit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Tuesday. PNA reports.
The ship arrived in Vietnam on the afternoon of September 7, Naval Task Group (NTG) 80.5 public affairs office chief Lt. Ryan Luna said in a statement.
BRP Ramon Alcaraz and its 200-man contingent composing NTG 80.5 also attended the just-concluded and first-ever Asean-US Maritime Exercise which took place off Gulf of Thailand last September 2 to 6.
NTG 80.5 personnel, headed by Captain Hilarion Cesista, were accorded a welcome ceremony by their counterparts from the 2nd Naval Region of the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) upon their arrival.
They later paid a courtesy call on 2nd Naval Region deputy commander Captain Dinh Van Thang.
Luna added that Cesista and his party also visited Ha Phuoc Thang, head of office of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, and counterparts at the Vietnam Navy Technical College.
A series of confidence-building engagements between the Philippine Navy and VPN personnel were also conducted and these included shipboard tour, reception, and friendly games.
BRP Ramon Alcaraz’s visit marks the third time a PN ship has visited Vietnam.
“(The visit) becomes an avenue for sustaining and enhancing the relationship between the two navies and will further intensify such understanding in the areas of security and defense, economic matters, regional and international cooperation,” Luna said.